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The next morning, Kel awoke to a gentle hand patting her hair.

"Kel."

".. Kel."

"Wake up, Kel."

She jolted as something wet and warm touched her cheek.

"Good morning," Calix grinned down at her as he dodged her reflexive swat. "It seems a kiss is the best way to wake you."

"Mmmph," Kel groaned, squinting in the morning sun.

Calix was fully dressed, sitting calmly on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Where are you going?" Kel rubbed her eyes, pushing herself up.

"I have some things to take care of," Calix replied, his gaze hardening for a split second. "So I'll be back later."

He leaned in again, this time planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Get dressed. I'll have someone bring breakfast for you."

"Alright," Kel smiled sleepily. 

Calix chuckled.

"See you later, Kel."

After he was gone, she lounged in the bed for a few more minutes, enjoying the warm blankets wrapped around her.

"I've always wanted to go to Pandreia," she giggled, feeling a tiny jolt of excitement. "I can't wait to see the ocean!"

She stretched her arms over her head with a yawn and then swung her feet to the floor. 

"Oh.." she paused, glancing at the clothes littered all over the floor.

Calix had taken her straight to her room after the ball and sent away all the maids. Instead, he was the one who helped her undress.

She'd been far too exhausted last night to give it much thought, but now she blushed thinking of the way his fingers carefully unlaced her gown and pulled it down her body.

"Maybe I'm the one with years of pent up sexual frustration," she sighed, covering her redenned face with her hands.

"Your Highness! May I come in?" 

Kel jumped at the muffled voice outside the door.

"Ah, yes, come in," she answered, fanning her face.

A maid entered the room, carrying a tray of food, followed by two more maids and-

"Lucy!" Kel smiled.

"Good morning," Lucy returned her grin. "Did you sleep well?"

The woman's smile turned into a smirk as she eyed the clothes spread across the floor.

Oh no. Kel could feel red heat rising in her cheeks again.

"I slept very well, thank you," she answered shyly.

Why was she so embarrassed? She and Calix hadn't even kissed last night, much less any of the things Lucy was imagining. And even if they had, it's not like it would be their first time.

"Eep!" Kel dropped her face into her hands again as images of the many unwholesome nights she had spent with Calix flashed through her mind.

"Our Empress Consort is so shy," Lucy snickered, motioning for the maids to begin gathering Kel's discarded garments.

Kel hesitantly removed her fingers from in front of her eyes just in time to see a piece of paper fluttering to the ground as a maid picked up one of her gloves.

"Oh!" The woman immediately stooped to retrieve the parchment. "Is this yours, Your Highness?"

"It is," Kel answered, the rosy hue draining rapidly from her cheeks. "Please bring it to me."

She'd almost forgotten about the note given to her by the man claiming to be from Felion.

After the strange man left her on the dance floor, she'd only had time to slide the paper into her glove before Calix reached her. By the time she'd got back to her room, the note had slipped her mind entirely.

She should be grateful, at least, that the paper hadn't fallen out of the glove while the Dragon Emperor was there.

".. Shall we give you some time alone?" Lucy asked.

Despite her teasing earlier, the woman could sense clearly the change in Kel's mood.

"Ah, yes," Kel did her best to smile, crushing the paper in her palm. "Please leave now."

"Yes, Your Highness," the maids all responded in sync, briskly turning toward the door.

Lucy gave a bow of her own and turned to follow the other women, a bit more slowly.

She was concerned about Kel but knew it wasn't her place to inquire further. 

Well, she wouldn't have hesitated to prod in the past, but after the Emperor's punishment, she'd become more cautious about things like this.

Kel felt a small twinge of disappointment as she watched the woman leave, closing the door quietly behind her. She almost wished Lucy would have stayed and asked questions.

Perhaps, she wouldn't have felt so nervous then.

As she slowly uncurled her fingers from around the paper, she felt a small tingle in her chest.

Burn it.

It took every ounce of willpower to stop herself from incinerating the note immediately as her instincts were urging her to do.

But why?

"No. Maybe I should just.." Kel trailed off, allowing the tingling sensation to travel down her arm, ".. burn it."

A strange feeling came over her, that this single piece of parchment had the power to change everything. The life she had finally begun to feel comfortable in, could be swept away by whatever words were written there.

Burn it.

She couldn't quite bring herself to do it. 

Even if it changed everything--ruined everything--she had to know what it said and why it was given to her.

She had to know.

With trembling fingers, she unfurled the wrinkled paper.

She had scarcely set her eyes on the words scrawled across the note when she regretted her decision.

With a gasp, she snatched her hand back, abandoning the paper to float down onto the bed next to her.

She should have burned it.

She never should have read it.

Her world, which was just barely starting to fall into place, had been flipped upside down once again.

With sweat beading along her forehead, she glanced again at the note.

It was lying face up.

Some of the words jumped out at her, as if they were reaching off the paper trying to grab her.

'My lovely Keliyah,'

'..selfish of me..'

'..your family.'

'winter solstice'

'.. base of the White Mountains.'

The phrase that terrified her most of all, however, was the signature at the bottom of the paper.

She didn't have to question whether it was real. The entire letter had been a testament to its authenticity.

She wished she'd never wondered if the man from Felion and her uncle might be connected.

Because now she knew that they were.

eaglesnovɐ1,сoМ Gulping, she reached down, brushing the tips of her fingers against the final line of the note.

'With all the love of a foolish guardian,

Itzae'

-The Dragon's Kiss Volume 2 END-